Calzone vs Stromboli
Food is one of the basic needs of man. Without food we cannot survive and this instinct to survive has led early man to discover edible plants that can fill his empty stomach and make him strong. In time he has learned that other animals can also be eaten and so he learned to plant crops and raise livestock.
Man then started to make more complicated food preparations, experimenting with ingredients that are available to him. People from different parts of the world prepare different types of food which are based mainly on the kind of ingredients that are common to the region.
Commerce and travel enabled people from different places to introduce their food to others. No other food is more popular than Italian food, two of the most popular of which are spaghetti and pizza. But then, there are other food that the Italians have made which have developed a huge following the world over, namely, Calzone and Stromboli.
Calzone
Calzone is a turnover with ingredients similar to pizza. The making of calzone started in Naples, Italy on the 18th century. The name came from the baggy pants worn by men during the time.
The ingredients of calzone are very much like the ingredients of pizza, with stuffing consisting of mozzarella, tomato, and other pizza toppings. It is folded over and shaped like a crescent moon before baking or frying.
Because of its size and its resemblance to sandwiches, calzone is a popular street food and can be eaten while on the go. There are many versions of calzone, some are small and others have a variety of stuffing.
Stromboli
Stromboli is a turnover with stuffing of various meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Although the dough is similar to Italian bread dough, it did not originate in Italy but in Philadelphia, USA. There are also other sources who stated that it originated in Spokane, Washington. What is certain is that it got its name from the movie Stromboli.
It is similar to calzone but its stuffing is more similar to sandwich fillings than pizza toppings. The most common of which are various types of cheese, Italian meats like salami and capicola, and various vegetables. It is rolled and not folded before baking.
Summary
1. Calzone originated in Naples, Italy and named after what the men in the area were wearing while Stromboli originated in the United States, either in the State of Philadelphia or in Washington and named after a film.
2. The ingredients in the making of the dough of both calzone and stromboli are similar to the dough of Italian bread but the stuffing or fillings are different.
3. Calzone has stuffing that is similar to pizza toppings with tomato and mozzarella cheese while stromboli has fillings that are similar to a sandwich with various cheeses, vegetables, and meats.
4. Calzone is prepared by putting stuffing on the dough and folding it over, shaping it like a crescent moon while stromboli is prepared by putting fillings on the dough and rolling it before baking.